Author: Stephen Kisbey-Green

The running community celebrated the 200th edition of the Grahamstown parkrun on Saturday 21 July. Not only is this an achievement worth celebrating, but the record time for the course was equalled by St Andrew’s pupil, Tony Rubombora. The Grahamstown parkrun started in September 2014 and since then, runners have cumulatively covered 113 525 km. Over that time, many runners have reached their 50th milestone and a few have even notched 100 runs. Within the next 18 months, two local runners are expected to go green when they join the prestigious 250 club. “To have been a part of putting…

The GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon is shaping up to be another successful and enjoyable race for everyone involved. While the runners will be putting themselves to the test on a grueling 21km course on 25 August, there’s all-day entertainment for the family at the start-finish. Former president of the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset, Tim Dold believed there was scope for an event in which all the service organisations of Grahamstown could get together to serve a common goal. When the Rotary Club of Grahamstown Sunset got the chance to host the GBS Mountain Drive Half Marathon,…

Rozario Fourie is a talented young rugby player from Oatlands Preparatory School. The Grade 5 pupil has been playing exceptionally on the rugby field since he started at Oatlands, and even received an award from the school in 2016. As a flyhalf, Fourie is central to the efforts of his school’s U11 A rugby team. He dreams of moving to Cape Town to play for the Stormers and eventually earning a spot in the national side. “I want to play for South Africa, one day as rugby is my passion,” said Fourie, “I would also like to sell rugby balls…

Lwando Mtwa, a second year Rhodes University student, has recently been named in the Eastern Cape Pool side to take part in the South African U23 National 8-Ball Pool Championships. The event will take place  between 30 September and 5 October; with Mtwa joining two other Rhodes students (Kaylene Brown and Hope Prince),  in the five person EC team. “Playing for team Eastern Cape is a dream come true to me,” said Mtwa. “I was born in this beautiful province and representing it means more to me than you can think, it means I should put it my total best…

After another successful G2C Mountain Bike race on Sunday 8 July, Jason Meaton took home the gold for the fourth time. Here are the podium finishers for each of the categories: Senior Male: 1. Jason Meaton – 01:49:22 (M) – Senior Male winner 2. Nathan Trollip – 01:59:11 (M) – Senior Male runner-up 3. Dylan Meikle – 02:00:11 (M) – Senior Male third place Senior Female 1. Lisa Matthews – 02:49:08 (F) – Senior Female winner 2. Rose-Marie Hurford – 03:07:00 (F) – Senior Female runner-up 3. Dionne Lahner – 03:25:55 (F) – Senior Female third Sub-Vets Male 1. Jason Peach – 01:49:37 (M) – Sub-vets Male winner 2. Jay Carneiro – 01:53:34 (M) – Sub-vets…

With five weeks to go before the GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon, here is the eighth week of Grocott’s Mail’s twelve week training programme, created by Terri-Lynn Penney: Monday Easy 30min jog Tuesday 15min warm up 4 x 1km speed session 2min rest in between 10min cool down Wednesday 60min easy running Thursday 30min jog Friday rest Saturday 16km long run Sunday rest Terri-Lynn Penney is a local triathlete, having great success around the province, nationally and internationally. Having recently completed her 14th Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, Grocott’s Mail asked Penney for her go-to training programme for a 21km.…

Local celebrity Tsepiso Nzayo will be one of the pairs of feet completing the GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon on 25 August. The entrepreneur who stuck his neck out to pioneer isiXhosa stand-up and a Grahamstown (Makhanda) comedy club, long before the Festival made stand-up comedy fashionable, is also a more than competent long-distance runner who recently completed the Comrades Marathon. Tsepiso, as his fans know him, will be among the pack on the day of the GBS 21km. “I am excited and also feeling nervous at the same time,” said Nzayo. “I am excited because people do acknowledge…

With just over six weeks to go to the GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon on Saturday 25 August, here is the next in Grocott’s Mail’s 12-week training programme, designed by Terri-Lynn Penney: Monday Easy 50min Tuesday 15-minute warm-up 8 x 400m faster then race pace with a 200m recovery walk in between 10-minute cool down Wednesday 50 minutes easy run Thursday Rest Friday Easy 30-minute jog Saturday 15-kilometre run Sunday 30-minute recovery run Terri-Lynn Penney is a local triathlete, who has enjoyed success around the province, nationally and internationally. Having recently completed her 14th Two Oceans Ultra Marathon, Grocott’s Mail…

The GBS Mutual Bank Mountain Drive Half Marathon will place on 25 August, and promises to be another exciting and entertaining day out for runners and their families. The Albany Saints and Sinners multi-sport club has once again played a major role in the organisation and planning of the event, which is rich in history. The club has been involved with hosting the event for over 10 years. For a number of years, Run/Walk for Life hosted the event, until the end of 2017, when the local Sunset Rotary club met with Albany Saints & Sinners and decided to continue…

The Albany Bowling Club completed a stellar season of competition on Sunday 17 June, when they won took home both the East Areas Men’s First and Second league titles. This was the second year in a row that Albany had won the Second League title, and the third year in a row that they had taken home first place in the First League. The Second team went into the final round of the competition having already secured their place atop the table, however still went into the last fixture in Grahamstown looking to extend their lead. They did just that,…